Shadow AI: Your Employees Are Using Two AIs. You Only Control One Of Them.

A 2026 study by cybersecurity firm BlackFog found that 86% of employees use AI tools at least weekly for work-related tasks, and nearly half are using tools that have not been officially sanctioned by their employers. This phenomenon, termed 'shadow AI,' highlights a growing gap between the AI tools companies officially provide and those that employees actually use. The study surveyed employees across multiple industries and regions.

Employees often adopt unsanctioned tools when official options are perceived as too restrictive, slow, or lacking in features. The study found that the most commonly used unsanctioned AI tools include general-purpose chatbots, coding assistants, and content generation platforms.

The findings suggest that companies need to reassess their AI governance strategies to better align with employee preferences and usage patterns. The study calls for a more flexible approach to AI policy that acknowledges the reality of employee-driven technology adoption.